Optical tomographic apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

In order to change a size of an imaging area of a tomographic image of an object to be inspected easily, provided is an optical tomographic apparatus for acquiring a tomographic image of an object to be inspected, the optical tomographic apparatus including a control unit for controlling a measuring light path length changing unit to change an optical path length of measuring light in a case where the size of the imaging area of the tomographic image is changed, and for controlling a movable unit for moving a focus lens for focusing the measuring light to the object to be inspected along an optical path to move the focus lens in association with the change in the optical path length of the measuring light.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An optical tomographic apparatus configured to acquire a tomographic image of an object to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the object to be inspected irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the optical tomographic apparatus comprising:
 a measuring light path length changing unit configured to change an optical path length of the measuring light; 
 a movable unit configured to move a focus lens for focusing the measuring light to the object to be inspected along an optical path; 
 a designating unit configured to designate a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 a control unit configured to control the movable unit in association with the measuring light path length changing unit, in accordance with the designation of the designating unit. 
 
     
     
       2. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the movable unit in association with the measuring light path length changing unit, in accordance with the designation of the designating unit, to move the focus lens by a length corresponding to the change in the optical path length of the measuring light. 
     
     
       3. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit in accordance with the designation of the designating unit, to change the optical path length of the measuring light by a length corresponding to a change of the designated size, and controls the movable unit to move the focus lens in association with the change in the optical path length of the measuring light. 
     
     
       4. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display a display form designating the change in the size of the imaging area of the tomographic image,
 wherein the designating unit designates the size in response to an operation of an operation unit. 
 
     
     
       5. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the object to be inspected comprises an eye to be inspected; and 
 the control unit causes the measuring light path length changing unit to change the optical path length of the measuring light by a predetermined length, in a case where a tomographic image of an eyeground of the eye to be inspected is acquired and thereafter a tomographic image of an anterior ocular segment of the eye to be inspected is acquired, and the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit, in a case where the optical path length of the measuring light is changed by the predetermined length and thereafter the size of the imaging area of the tomographic image is changed. 
 
     
     
       6. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an image correcting unit configured to correct the tomographic image in accordance with the optical path length of the measuring light to be determined by the measuring light path length changing unit. 
     
     
       7. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the object to be inspected comprises an eye to be inspected; 
 the optical tomographic apparatus further comprises an anterior ocular segment observing unit including a focus lens for anterior ocular segment observation, which observes an anterior ocular segment of the eye to be inspected and focuses to the anterior ocular segment; and 
 the control unit causes the anterior ocular segment observing unit to focus to the anterior ocular segment in association with the change in the optical path length of the measuring light by the measuring light path length changing unit. 
 
     
     
       8. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the measuring light path length changing unit comprises an optical system moving mechanism configured to move an optical system including an optical path of the measuring light with respect to the object to be inspected, and
 the control unit controls the movable unit in association with the optical system moving mechanism, in accordance with the designation of the designating unit. 
 
     
     
       9. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the object to be inspected is an anterior ocular segment of an eye. 
     
     
       10. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus for acquiring a tomographic image of an object to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the object to be inspected irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a designation relating to a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 controlling a movable unit for moving a focus lens in association with a measuring light path length changing unit for changing an optical path length of the measuring light, in accordance with the designation. 
 
     
     
       11. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of controlling comprises controlling, in accordance with the designation, the movable unit in association with the measuring light path changing unit to move the focus lens by a length corresponding to the change in the optical path length of the measuring light. 
     
     
       12. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of controlling comprises controlling, in accordance with the designation, the measuring light path length changing unit to change the optical path length of the measuring light by a length corresponding to a change of the designated size, and controlling the movable unit to move the focus lens in association with the change in the optical path length of the measuring light. 
     
     
       13. A program for causing a computer to perform each step of the method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
       14. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the measuring light path length changing unit comprises an optical system moving mechanism configured to move an optical system including an optical path of the measuring light with respect to the object to be inspected, and
 the step of controlling comprises controlling the movable unit in association with the optical system moving mechanism, in accordance with the designation of the designating unit. 
 
     
     
       15. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a step of causing a display unit to display a display form for designating the change in the size of the imaging area of the tomographic image,
 wherein the step of receiving comprises a step of receiving the designation of the size in response to an operation of an operation unit. 
 
     
     
       16. An optical tomographic apparatus configured to acquire a tomographic image of an anterior ocular segment of an eye to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the anterior ocular segment irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the optical tomographic apparatus comprising:
 a measuring light path length changing unit configured to change an optical path length of the measuring light; 
 a display control unit configured to cause a display unit to display a display form for receiving a designation relating to a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 a control unit configured to control the measuring light path length changing unit in accordance with the designation received by the display form. 
 
     
     
       17. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the display form receives the designation in accordance with an operation of an operation unit. 
     
     
       18. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the operation unit includes a computer mouse. 
     
     
       19. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the display form comprises a slider, and
 the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit in accordance with a movement of the slider. 
 
     
     
       20. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the display form comprises a plurality of selectable buttons, and
 the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit in accordance with a button selected among the plurality of selectable buttons. 
 
     
     
       21. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the measuring light path length changing unit comprises an optical system moving mechanism configured to move an optical system including an optical path of the measuring light with respect to the anterior ocular segment, and
 the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit in association with the optical system moving mechanism, in accordance with the designation received by the display form. 
 
     
     
       22. An optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the control unit controls the measuring light path length changing unit to shorten the optical path length of the measuring light when the designation is to narrow the size of the imaging area, and to lengthen the optical path length of the measuring light when the designation is to widen the size of the imaging area. 
     
     
       23. An optical tomographic apparatus configured to acquire a tomographic image of an anterior ocular segment of an eye to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the anterior ocular segment irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the optical tomographic apparatus comprising:
 a measuring light path length changing unit configured to change an optical path length of the measuring light; 
 a designating unit configured to designate a change in a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 a control unit configured to control the measuring light path length changing unit in accordance with the designation from the designating unit. 
 
     
     
       24. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus for acquiring a tomographic image of an anterior ocular segment of an eye to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the anterior ocular segment irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the method comprising the steps of:
 displaying on a display a display form for receiving a designation relating to a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 changing an optical path length of the measuring light in accordance with the designation received by the display form. 
 
     
     
       25. A program for causing a computer to perform each step of the method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 24 . 
     
     
       26. A method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus for acquiring a tomographic image of an anterior ocular segment of an eye to be inspected based on light obtained by combining return light from the anterior ocular segment irradiated with measuring light with reference light corresponding to the measuring light, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving a designation relating to a size of an imaging area of the tomographic image; and 
 changing an optical path length of the measuring light in accordance with the designation. 
 
     
     
       27. A program for causing a computer to perform each step of the method of controlling an optical tomographic apparatus according to  claim 26 .